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新闻听力 | 极端天气似乎无处不在

VOA慢速：极端天气似乎无处不在Extreme Weather Seems to Be Everywhere慢速 | 高考偏易 | 587词 | 5min18s刘立军供稿Part I. QUESTIONSListen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.Q1. What recent event in Brazil was mentioned in the news report?A. A severe drought in São Paulo.B. Record high temperatures in multiple cities.C. Flooding that resulted in at least 100 deaths.D. A storm preventing rain over southern Brazil.Q2. How high were the temperatures that voters and politicians in India faced during national elections?A. 36 degrees Celsius.B. 46 degrees Celsius.C. 56 degrees Celsius.D. 66 degrees Celsius.Q3. Which country reported deaths due to record heat?A. The Philippines.B. Myanmar.C. Malaysia.D. Thailand.Q4. According to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, how did the number of tornadoes in April rank historically?A. It was the second-highest ever recorded for April.B. It was the highest ever recorded for April.C. It was the lowest ever recorded for April.D. It was below average for April.Q5. What was Jonathan Overpeck’s prediction about the year 2024?A. It might be a record year for climate policy changes.B. It might be a potentially significant year for technological advancements.C. It might be a record year for climate disasters.D. It might mark a decrease in climate-related issues.Q6. What is the particular effect of climate change Alvaro Silva pointed out on weather events?A. It increases the frequency of volcanic eruptions.B. It affects where and when weather events occur.C. It causes more predictable weather patterns.D. It reduces the severity of natural disasters.Q7. What does the European climate service Copernicus report indicate about the global average temperature?A. It has been decreasing over the past 11 months.B. It has shown no significant change since 1950.C. It has remained stable compared to the pre-industrial period.D. It has broken the record for the past 11 months.Q8. What goal did countries set in the Paris Climate Agreement regarding temperature increase?A. To limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.B. To limit warming to 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels.C. To limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.D. There was no specific temperature increase limit set.Q9. According to Maximiliano Herrera, how many countries or territories broke heat records in the first five days of May?A. 50 countries or territories.B. 60 countries or territories.C. 70 countries or territories.D. 80 countries or territories.Q10. What is the main theme discussed in the news report?A. Political turmoil affecting various countries.B. Advancements in global climate research.C. Extreme weather events occurring globally.D. International efforts to combat climate change.Part II. TRANSCRIPTExtreme Weather Seems Nearly EverywhereIn recent months, reports of extreme weather have reached new levels. Some climate scientists say they cannot remember when the world had so much extreme weather.(Q1) In Brazil, for example, flooding killed at least 100 people and damaged the southern city of Porto Alegre. (Q2) Voters and politicians in India are facing heat as high as 46 degrees Celsius during national elections.A heat wave caused officials to close schools in the Philippines. (Q3) Thailand has reported deaths from record heat. Weather experts are also reporting high heat in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives and Myanmar. Record temperatures hit many parts of Africa too.(Q4) In the United States, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center recently put a message on social media service X. It said April had the second-highest number of tornadoes for that month ever recorded.tornado n. 龙卷风；旋风Jonathan Overpeck leads the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan. He said, “It is not surprising to see worsening climate extremes so early in the year.” The climate expert added, (Q5) “If this record pace of warming continues, 2024 will likely be a record year of climate disasters and human suffering.”Some scientists have been saying that, when the world is warmer, it is likely to have more extreme weather. They call these “climate events,” including record heat and rainfall. (Q6) They say climate change is also changing where and when weather events take place. Alvaro Silva said that leads to rainy and hot systems staying over areas for longer periods. Silva is a climate scientist at the World Meteorological Organization based in Geneva.meteorological adj. 气象的Climate scientists have reported 13 straight months of record high ocean temperatures as a possible influence on the weather extremes.(Q7) Recently, the European climate service Copernicus reported the 11th record-breaking month in a row for the world’s average temperature. The average global temperature of 15 degrees Celsius in April beat the old record from 2016 by 0.14 degrees Celsius. Copernicus’ data dates back to 1950.Last month was 1.58 degrees Celsius warmer than what climate scientists call the pre-industrial period of the late 19th century. (Q8) Countries signing the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 set a goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.Several influences play a part in the recent extremes. Silva said, “climate change is the most important one.”(Q9) In the first five days of May, 70 countries or territories broke heat records, said climatologist Maximiliano Herrera. He follows temperature records across the world.Recently in Southeast Asia, “it was the hottest May night ever,” Herrera posted on X. Parts of Thailand did not drop below 31 degrees Celsius.Many African nations are also facing extreme heat. Herrera said it reached 47.5 degrees Celsius in Kayes, Mali. The capital of Niger, Niamey, had its hottest May night and Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou, had its hottest night for any month.The heat in Brazil affected cites like São Paulo and kept a rainstorm from moving over the country’s south. Francisco Aquino, a climatologist at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, said that caused the weather to become dangerous.There was also an increase in humidity from the Amazon River area, which Aquino called “flying rivers.” The flying rivers are air currents that carry a lot of water vapor. “These caused clouds to generate extreme rainfall,” he said.humidity n. （空气中的）湿度April also brought the heaviest rains ever recorded to the United Arab Emirates. Parts of major highways flooded, as did Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international travel.I’m Dan Novak.Part III. KEYQ1. C. 细节题。文本提到：“In Brazil, for example, flooding killed at least 100 people...”意为：“例如在巴西，洪水导致至少100人死亡……”选项C直接反映了新闻中提及的巴西事件。Q2. B. 细节题。文章中提到：“Voters and politicians in India are facing heat as high as 46 degrees Celsius during national elections.”意为：“在全国选举期间，印度的选民和政治家们面临着高达46摄氏度的高温。”选项B与文中信息相符。Q3. D. 细节题。文章中指出：“Thailand has reported deaths from record heat.”意为：“泰国报告了由于创纪录的高温导致的死亡事件。” 因此，选项D正确。Q4. A. 细节题。报道中提到：“…the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center recently put a message on social media service X. It said April had the second-highest number of tornadoes for that month ever recorded.” 意为：“国家气象服务风暴预测中心最近在社交媒体服务端X上发布了一条消息。消息称，四月份的龙卷风数量是有史以来第二高的。”这说明四月份的龙卷风数量排名历史第二。因此，答案选A。Q5. C. 细节题。Jonathan Overpeck表示：“If this record pace of warming continues, 2024 will likely be a record year of climate disasters and human suffering.”意为：“如果这种创纪录的升温速度持续下去，2024年很可能会是气候灾害和人类苦难的创记录之年。”因此答案是C。Q6. B. 细节题。Alvaro Silva所述的情况是：“They say climate change is also changing where and when weather events take place.”意为：“他们说气候变化也改变了天气事件发生的时间和地点。” 因此，正确选项为B。Q7. D. 细节题。Copernicus报告指出：“...the 11th record-breaking month in a row for the world’s average temperature.”意为：“……连续第11个月打破了世界平均气温的记录。”因此，报告表明全球平均气温过去11个月已连续打破记录。答案是D。Q8. A. 细节题。关于《巴黎协定》设定的目标，文本中提到：“Countries signing the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 set a goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.”意为：“2015年签署《巴黎协定》的国家设定了一个目标，即将升温限制在工业化前水平之上的1.5摄氏度以内。”选项A与这一信息吻合。Q9. C. 细节题。Maximiliano Herrera提到：“...70 countries or territories broke heat records...” 意为：“……70个国家或地区打破了高温记录……”因此，答案为C。Q10. C. 主旨题。整个新闻报道的焦点是关于世界各地极端天气事件的报道。从巴西的洪水、印度的高温，到非洲和东南亚的高温等，新闻涉及多个不同地区面临的极端天气现象。因此，该新闻的主题是全球发生的极端天气事件，答案选择C。（本文图片来源于摄图网，版权归摄图网所有）

新闻听力 | 对多语者的研究显示大脑如何处理语言

VOA慢速：对多语者的研究显示大脑如何处理语言Study of Polyglots Shows How Brain Deals with Language慢速| CET-4 偏难| 605词| 5min5s刘立军供稿Part I. QUESTIONSListen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.Q1. How many languages did the polyglots participating in the study speak?A. Between 1 and 4 languages.B. Between 2 and 7 languages.C. Between 5 and 54 languages.D. More than 55 languages.Q2. What tool did scientists use to monitor brain activity in the study?A. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).B. Positron emission tomography (PET).C. Electroencephalography (EEG).D. Computed tomography (CT) scan.Q3. What area of the brain is involved with language processing according to the study?A. The cerebellum.B. The cerebral cortex.C. The hippocampus.D. The amygdala.Q4. Why does the native language of the polyglots result in less activation in the brain’s language network?A. Because it is less efficient and effective for them.B. Because they have lost some proficiency in their native language.C. Because they have a lower emotional connection to their native language.D. Because the neural processes are more efficient when processing their native language.Q5. What general conclusion can be drawn from the study’s findings?A. Polyglots’ brains are identical when hearing both native and non-native languages.B. Native languages generate a considerably stronger response in the brain compared to other known languages.C. The brain responds more to languages that individuals understand well except for their native language.D. Polyglots have less brain activity compared to people who speak only one language.Part II. TRANSCRIPTStudy of Polyglots Shows How Brain Deals with LanguageMost people around the world speak one or two languages. But some can speak three or more. These people are called polyglots. And they are helping researchers better understand how the human brain deals with language.polyglot n. 通晓多种语言的人In a new study, a team of scientists monitored the brain activity of 34 polyglots. (Q1) The polyglots spoke between 5 and 54 languages.(Q2) The scientists used a method called functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI. In fMRI, the brain is studied through images that measure changes in blood flow in different areas of the brain. The researchers used fMRI to study the brain as the polyglots listened to different languages.resonance n. 共鸣；共振(Q3) The researchers found that, when the polyglots heard a language they knew, activity increased in an area of the brain involved with language processing. That area is the cerebral cortex. When they listened to a language they did not know or knew less well, there was less activity in the cerebral cortex.cerebral cortex 大脑皮层Evelina Fedorenko is a brain scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a member of MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research. She was also a senior writer of the study, which recently appeared in the publication Cerebral Cortex.She explained the findings.“We think this is because when you process a language that you know well, you can engage the full suite of linguistic operations — the operations that the language system in your brain supports,” Fedorenko said.However, an exception caught the attention of the researchers. For many of the polyglot participants, listening to their native language produced less of a brain response compared to hearing other languages they knew. On average, the response was about 25 percent less. And in some of the polyglots, listening to their native language activated only one part of the brain’s language network, not the whole thing.Olessia Jouravlev is a brain scientist at Carleton University in Canada. He also helped write the report. (Q4) He said that the brain’s neural processes were more efficient, or effective, when the polyglots heard their native language.neural adj. 神经的；神经系统的“Therefore, the language network in the brain does not activate as much as when they do native versus non-native language processing,” Jouravlev said.The brain’s language network involves a few areas in its frontal and temporal lobes.temporal adj. 太阳穴的lobe n.（身体器官的）叶；（尤指）肺叶，脑叶Saima Malik-Moraleda is a doctoral student at the Harvard/MIT Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology. She was one of the lead writers of the study. She said the findings suggest that the way the brain finds, or extracts, meaning in language governs the brain’s response to language.bioscience n. 生物科学；生命科学(Q5) “The more meaning you can extract from the language input you are receiving, the greater the response in language regions — except for the native language,” she said.Of the 34 polyglots who took part in the study, 20 were men and 14 were women. They were between 19 and 71 years old. 21 were native English speakers. The rest were native speakers of French, Russian, Spanish, Dutch, German, Hungarian, and Mandarin Chinese.Mandarin n.（中文）普通话Researchers monitored the polyglots’ brain activity as they listened to recordings in eight languages. One was their native language. Three were languages they spoke well, somewhat well or somewhat. The other four were languages they did not know.Fedorenko noted that a lot of work in language research has been centered on individuals with linguistic difficulties.linguistic adj. 语言的；语言学的But she said there is a lot that researchers can learn about the language process by studying so-called language “experts” too. That includes polyglots, Fedorenko added.Part III. KEY1. C．细节题。文章中提到：“The polyglots spoke between 5 and 54 languages.”意为：“这些多语者会说5到54种语言。”因此答案为C。2. A．细节题。文章中明确提到了研究人员使用的方法：“The scientists used a method called functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI.”意为：“科学家们使用了一种叫做功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）的方法。”因此答案为A。3. B．细节题。文本中明确指出哪个脑区参与语言处理：“…when the polyglots heard a language they knew, activity increased in an area of the brain involved with language processing. That area is the cerebral cortex.”意为：“……当多语者听到他们熟悉的语言时，参与语言处理的大脑区域活动增加。那个区域是大脑皮层。”因此正确答案为B。4. D．推理题。根据Olessia Jouravlev的话：“…the brain’s neural processes were more efficient, or effective, when the polyglots heard their native language,”可以推断对于母语，大脑语言网络中的神经处理过程更为高效。选项A、B和C都没有在文本中提及。因此答案为D。5. C．主旨题。文章中提到了研究的总体结论：“The more meaning you can extract from the language input you are receiving, the greater the response in language regions — except for the native language.”这句话意味着对于通晓程度越高的语言，大脑的反应越强，母语除外。因此答案为C。（封面图片来自摄图网，版权归摄图网所有）